Back-to-School Basics: Establish a Culture Founded on Community to Keep Kids Safe
Millions of kids, their parents and employees in the thousands of school districts across the country are engaged in the back-to-school rituals as they kick off a new academic year. Early August through early September signals the bittersweet end of summer that precedes the hopefulness and eagerness that comes with another school year, new lessons, friends, and a bit of uncertainty.
Increasingly, this new beginning is wrought with as much fear as excitement for parents and kids as back-to-school is met not just with advertising about clothes and school supplies, but bullet proof backpacks, too. Today, kids are not only oriented to new class schedules or new school rules, they are met in the first few days and weeks of the new academic year with active shooter drills—drills that will reoccur throughout the year. These anxiety-producing drills reinforce fear, rather than the hope and optimism that is required for kids to learn.
Making children afraid is not the same as keeping them safe.
Drills don’t prevent mass shootings. But a strong culture of community can. However, to create such a community requires planning and intention. Just as active shooter drills require planning, so does creating the architecture of a healthy community culture.
The Difference: Active shooter drills teach kids how to recognize gunshots and hide under desks, behind doors, inside closets, and other discreet locations that are dishearteningly turned from learning tools to hiding places. Establishing a culture founded on the idea of “belonging” teaches kids how to recognize when a classmate is having difficulty, needs help or friendly company. This sense of belonging fosters a community where it’s difficult for anyone to feel left out or alone. Shooter drills teach kids to huddle after the shooter goes on a rampage, when it’s too late. Now, it’s time to shift our thinking and behaviors to teaching students how to huddle when there is an active shooter, but to keep that same energy to huddle around and embrace their fellow classmates before a crisis happens.
How to “Huddle” to Build Community
It starts with leaders advocating for inclusive events. It is incumbent on school district leaders to be more intentional about offering activities throughout the year for students, employees and parents that result in everyone getting to know one another. These activities would be different than the usual Back-to-School night where parents meet teachers and hear about what their kids will learn and what’s expected of them, but to establish belonging.
Belonging is a byproduct of people respecting, knowing, trusting and caring about each other. Belonging is a human need—just like the need for food and shelter. Research shows that kids are more likely to be motivated, engaged, resilient and successful if they feel like they belong in school. And, trusting relationships based on dignity and respect are foundational to the physical and psychological safety kids need to learn and perform.
Rather than spend time trying to guess the difference between a gunshot and a car backfiring, students should be working on what they go to school for in the first place—to learn how to participate in and maintain a civil society, as literate, thoughtful, creative and caring human beings.
It is true that time is a limited, precious commodity for school districts who must manage thousands of kids and parents. But if leaders can find time to spend on activities like active shooter drills, they can find time for activities that will help them establish more meaningful relationships between kids, employees and parents.
Going back to school should not be a time of dread for students. It should be a time when they are excited about the prospect of learning—and how to leverage that learning over their lifetimes to live a meaningful life. Let’s welcome them with hope, optimism and open arms. Not fear, dread and hardened schools.